This invention relates in general to mining devices and in particular to a new and useful planing chain conveyor trough which has an intake gate for controlling the feed of a planing chain.
The invention relates particularly to a device to guide a coal plane a chain scraper conveyor, with plane guiding profiles which are fastened to the planing trough and have an upper and lower chain channel for the planing chain, the plane guiding end profiles or intake gates disposed on both ends being designed for the entry of the planing chain.
Such plane guidance systems are known, but they often are not satisfactory with respect to the entry of the planing chain or its pulling stringer into the chain channel. As is known, the planing chain must thread itself into the respective chain channel. However, in the course of this threading-in, sometimes jamming occurs because, due to fluctuating loads on the planing system, it is not infrequent that the planing chain is jerked into the chain channel. The result of such jamming is that some chain links position themselves crosswise so that the chain intake is blocked. This results in chain deformations and ultimately chain breakages which lead to considerable operating breakdowns.